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Matthew Cowdrey

With a ‘can do’
attitude, Matt Cowdrey inspires all.
Matt is the greatest Australian Paralympian having won World
Championship titles, Commonwealth and Paralympian gold, silver and bronze. A
motivational speaker, Matt speaks of his journey and success.

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Matthew Cowdrey's Biography

With a ‘can do’
attitude, Matt Cowdrey inspires all.Matt is the greatest Australian Paralympian having won World
Championship titles, Commonwealth and Paralympian gold, silver and bronze. A
motivational speaker, Matt speaks of his journey and success.

At just 24 years of age,
Matthew Cowdrey has already achieved Paralympic, World Championship and
Commonwealth Games glory. A multiple world-record holder, the South Australian
swimmer has become one of the top amputee athletes in the world.

Born with a congenital amputation to his lower left arm, Cowdrey has shown
immense strength and courage to succeed and reach incredible heights in the
world of swimming.

Cowdrey started swimming at the age of five and was determined to not just be
as good as any able bodied person, but to be better. Having set his goals for
success, Cowdrey quickly stamped his mark on his S9 classification, breaking
his first Australian open record at age 11 and world record at age 13.

In 2004 he competed at the Paralympics in Athens where he won three gold, two
silver and two bronze medals and finished the meet with two World &
Paralympic Record times. His amazing achievements were recognised when he was
named the Australian Swimmer of the Year with a Disability two years in a row
and the 2005 Male Athlete of the Year at the Stan Wickham Disability Awards.

Cowdrey dominated the national titles in 2006, winning all eight of his events
and breaking several world records to qualify for his first Commonwealth Games
team. He continued to improve on his personal best times and became the only
Australian male swimmer to win individual gold at the Melbourne 2006
Commonwealth Games – where he won gold in the men’s 50m and 100m EAD Freestyle
events, both in world record time. His brilliant performances were recognised
when he was awarded the Commonwealth Sports Award for most outstanding male
elite athlete with a disability.

In 2012, Matt returned home from the
London Paralympics as the Greatest ever Australian Paralympian.Matt won a medal in every event in London –
five gold, two silver and one bronze – to go with his eight medals from Beijing
2008. This included breaking his own world record in the 50m freestyle.
Matt followed this up the following year at the World Championships in Brazil
with seven World Records, seven Gold medals and two Silver medals, which
demonstrated the true versatility of this athlete, drawing many comparisons to
Michael Phelps of America.

Matt
currently trains in his home town of Adelaide where he also studies Law full
time at Adelaide University.

Matt is
a confident and articulate speaker, lending his time to charities and
motivating workplaces and kids with his ‘can do’ attitude.